Intercultural

Communicatio
n
Upon completion of these topics, student
should be able to :

1. Understand why we need to study

intercultural communication
2. Describe the definition of cultural,
cultural perception and values
3. Explain the meaning of intercultural
communication
4. Understand the intercultural
communication skills
The Outlines:
1. Four Reasons Why We Need to Study Intercultural
Communication?
2. What is culture?
3. Three Key Elements of Culture
4. Two Functions of Culture
5. Four Characteristics of Culture
6. Intercultural Communication
1. Perceptions
2. Stereotypes
3. Ethnocentrism
7. Dimension of Different Cultures
1. High Power Distance vs. Low Power Distance
2. Masculinity vs. Femininity
3. Individualism vs. Collectivism
4. High Context Culture vs. Low Context Culture
8. Intercultural Adaptation
9. Culture Shock
10. Intercultural Conflict
11. How Culture Influences Communication?
WARNING ~ EXPLICIT CONTENT

THE FOLLOWING PRESENTATION IS

INTENDED FOR EDUCATIONAL
PURPOSES BUT CONTAINS MATERIAL
THAT MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR ALL
VIEWERS.

VIEWER DISCRETION IS STRONGLY

ADVISED.
 1. Four Reasons Why We
Need to Study Intercultural
Communication
1. Technology development
Communication technologies, anticipated
information superhighway . All these permit
us to have oral and written interchange at any
hour to most locations in the world. You can
have business contacts across the world with
different culture.
2. Globalization of the economy
Communication technologies has made our
economy more global. Having business
meeting across the continents .
3. Widespread population migrations
Peoples from all over the world migrate to
new destinations to work, study

4. Development of multiculturalism
All these will develop a new culture and
we call it as multiculturism.
2. What is Culture ?
 In another words, culture refers to a
way of life - the cumulative deposit
of knowledge, experience, beliefs,
values, attitudes,
attitudes meanings,
hierarchies, religion,
religion notions of time,
roles,
roles and material objects and
possessions acquired by people living
in the.. planet earth.
3. Three Key Elements of
Culture
Shared Values | Beliefs |
Behavioural Norms
 Shared Values
Cultural values are widely held beliefs
of what is important.
Values are things that are prized in a
community and what people feel are
inherently important.
Robert Youker (2004)
We must protect our respectable
values so that our children will respect
their roots.
 Assumptions and convictions that are
held to be true, by an individual or a
group, regarding concepts, events,
people, and things.
 Behavioural Norms
Norms are based on values and are
guides to conduct, usually framed as
rules, prescriptions, or standards to
be followed by people who occupy
specified roles.
E.g. Western organizations have a norm
that all meetings will start on time.
4. Two Functions of Culture
1. To provide an environment in which three
aspects of human society blend together.
linguistic language allows us to
communicate with people who have similar
value and beliefs
physical give an environment of activities
and permit what we do within the culture
psychological is related to our mental
activities, including what we have believe and
what we have learned
2. To provide structure, stability and security
that are used by the group and members
to maintain the healthy system.
 5. Four Characteristics of
culture
Four basic characteristics of culture
are:
Holistic - can be broken down into several
subsystem such as an educational system,
religious system, association system, political
system. Any change in these subsystem will
affect the whole system ~ interconnected.
Dynamic - constantly changing over time.
Some culture are more open and accepting of
change. Transmission from generation to
generation, group to group and place to place.
 Learned culture is shared symbolic system
within a relatively large group of people. The
only way for groups members to integrate into,
reinforce and co-create this shared symbolic
system is through a learning process.
Example: We always communicate with friends to
learn and understand about culture.
Pervasive /Persistent culture penetrates
into every aspect of our life and influences the
way we talk, the way we think and also the
way we behave. Combines visible and invisible
things around us.
 6. Intercultural
communication
Refers to the communication between
people from different cultures.
Samovar and Porter (1991): intercultural
communication occurs whenever a
message is produced by a member of one
culture for consumption by a member of
another culture.
Griffin, Intercultural Communication is the
management of messages for the purpose
of creating meaning across cultures.
Perceptions
 Cultural influence on
perception
We tend to interpret the meaning of
others behaviors based on our past
experience or history e.g the 911
tragedy
Difference cultural background will
provide different ways of
interpretation.
Different way of life may cause serious
misunderstandings in communication.
 Americans perception on
color
Black = evil, death, sexy, elegant
Blue = cold masculine, sad and sky
Green = money
Pink = feminine, shy, softness, so sweet
Red = hot, love and sex
White = good, peaceful
Yellow = happy, sunshine
How do you clarify BLUE and GREEN in
Malaysia?
 Stereotypes
Overgeneralized and oversimplified
beliefs to categorized a group of
people (Allport, 1958).
Tendency to make a claim that often
goes beyond the facts.
Stereotypes may be based on the
truth, but they are exaggerated
statements regarding our beliefs about
what a group of people are and should
be.
 Dimensions of
Stereotypes
Direction
refers to positive and negative aspect of statement
example: we might say that White American respect time and also
Americans lacking of discipline.

Intensity
indicates the strength of a belief about a group of people
example : we beliefs that all African American in America can play
basketball .

Accuracy
sometime stereotype not always false, half truth, or
partially accurate
Content
stereotype may vary in their specific content
example : Africans may view white Americans according to range of
traits such as aggressive
 Ethnocentrism
An ethnocentric person feels their
culture is superior and therefore treat
other culture as inferior.
Ethnocentrism base their social
interaction on their own cultural
norms, which can lead to
misunderstandings andeventually to
severe miscommunication.
Other culture is perceived as
wrong and improper.
How about Xenocentrism?
Intercultural Communication
Part 2
1. Dimension of Different Cultures
1. High Power Distance vs. Low Power Distance
2. Masculinity vs. Femininity
3. Individualism vs. Collectivism
4. High Context Culture vs. Low Context Culture
2. Intercultural Adaptation
3. Culture Shock
4. Intercultural Conflict
5. How Culture Influences Communication?
WARNING ~ EXPLICIT CONTENT

THE FOLLOWING PRESENTATION IS

INTENDED FOR EDUCATIONAL
PURPOSES BUT CONTAINS MATERIAL
THAT MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR ALL
VIEWERS.

VIEWER DISCRETION IS STRONGLY

ADVISED.
 7. Four Dimensions of
Different Cultures

1. Power Distance
2. Masculinity vs.
Femininity
3. Individualism vs.
Collectivism
4. High Context
Culture vs. Low
Context Culture
Power Distance
 Power Distance
Power distance expresses the degree to
which the (1) less powerful members of a
society (2) accept and (3) expect that power
is distributed (4) unequally.
People in societies with high power distance
accept a hierarchical order in which everybody
has a place and which needs no further
justification.
In societies with low power distance, people strive
to equalise the distribution of power and demand
justification for inequalities of power.
Hofstede, G.
 MALAYSIA http://geert-hofstede.com/malaysia.html

Malaysia scores the highest on PD Index which

means that :
people accept a hierarchical order in which
everybody has a place and which needs no further
justification.
Hierarchy in any organisation
(company/school/university/home) is seen as
reflecting inherent inequalities
centralization is popular -
subordinates expect to be told what to do and the
ideal boss is a benevolent autocrat.
Challenges to the leadership are not well-received.
 AUSTRIA http://geert-hofstede.com/austria.html

Austria scores the lowest on PD index which

means that :
The following characterises the Austrian style:
Being independent,
Hierarchy for convenience only,
Equal rights,
Superiors accessible,
Coaching leader,
Management facilitates.
Power is decentralized and managers count on the experience
of their team members.
Control is disliked and attitude towards managers are informal
and on first name basis.
Communication is direct and participative
The Sultan of Kelantan
What do you think of his
actions?

Is it low or high
power distance he
is representing?
Masculinity vs. Feminity
 The masculine culture represents a
preference in society for achievement,
heroism, assertiveness and material
reward for success. Society at large is
more competitive.
The feminine culture, stands for a
preference for cooperation, modesty,
caring for the weak and quality of life.
Society at large is more consensus-
oriented.
Masculine v.s Feminine
Individualism vs.
Collectivism
Individualists
 Individualism
Stress the self and personal achievement.
Tend to emphasize on self esteem, self
identity, self awareness, self image, and
self expression.
Competition is often encouraged in this
culture.
Countries related to individualistic cultures
are : USA, Australia, Canada, Italy and
Belgium
Collectivists
 Collectivism
Only in-group views and needs are
emphasized .
People are expected to be
interdependent/ mutually supporting
each other.
Social networks are much more fixed
and less reliant on individual initiative.
Malaysia, Singapore, Pakistan,
Thailand etc
High Context Culture
vs.
Low Context Culture
High Context Culture
 High Context culture
High context refers to societies or groups
where people have close connections over
a long period of time.
Many aspects of cultural behaviour are not
made explicit because most members are
expected to know what to do and what to
think.
Your family is probably an example of a high
context environment.
Eastern people belongs to this culture.
a) Message flow
 b)Characteristics
Long term relationships
Decisions and activities focus around
personal face-to-face communication.
Indirect verbal and nonverbal
communication.
 c) Association

Relationships depend on trust, build up

slowly, and are stable.
How things get done depends on
relationships with people and attention to
group process.
 d)Interaction
High usage of nonverbal elements;
voice tone, facial expression,
gestures, and eye movement carry
significant parts of conversation.
Verbal message is indirect; one talks
around the point.
 e)Learning

Learning occurs by first observing

others as they model and then
practicing it.
Groups are preferred for learning and
problem solving.
 High context cultures are more
common in the eastern nations,
and in countries with low racial
diversity. High context cultures have
a strong sense of tradition and
history, and change little over time,
such as tribal and native societies.
Low Context Culture
 Low Context Culture
In these societies, cultural behaviour
and beliefs may need to be spelled
out explicitly so that those coming
into this cultural environment know
how to adapt.
Western countries belong to this type of
culture.
a) Message flow
b) Characteristics
Knowledge is open to public, and
easily accessible.
Shorter duration of communications
direct.
Knowledge is easily transferable to
others.
 b) Association
Relationships begin and end quickly.
Things get done by following
procedures and paying attention to
the goal.
 C) Interaction
Message is carried more by words than
by nonverbal means.
Verbal message is direct.
Communication is seen as a way of
exchanging information, ideas, and
opinions.
Disagreement is depersonalized. One
withdraws from conflict with another
and gets on with the task. Focus is on
rational solutions, not personal ones.
 d) Learning
Thinking proceeds from specific to
general. Focus is on detail.
Learning occurs by following explicit
directions and explanations from
others.
 High v.s Low Context
Culture
(Mr. Smith Goes to China)
8. Intercultural Adaptation
 Intercultural Adaptation
Refers to the process of increasing our
level of suitability to meet the demands of
new culture.
Those such as students, diplomats and
businessmen are important for them to
know how to adapts to new environment
in daily life.
Entrance into a new culture is generally
accompanied by culture shock.
How to Properly Eat Noodles in
Japan
 9. Culture Shock
Culture shock refers to:
1.The anxiety and feelings (of surprise,
disorientation, uncertainty, confusion, etc.)
felt when people have to operate within a
different and unknown cultural or social
environment, such as a foreign country.
It grows out of the difficulties in assimilating the new
culture, causing difficulty in knowing what is
appropriate and what is not. This is often combined
with a dislike for or even disgust (moral or
aesthetical) with certain aspects of the new or
different culture.
The Land Where Cannabis is
Legal
Symptoms of culture shock
 How to manage culture
shock
Furnham (1987)
Befriends of your host within your own
age.
Starting up a friendship with locals.
Understanding jokes and humor
Understanding the taboos and norm
among host culture
* Today you may learn other cultures from the
Internet prior to your trip abroad.
10. Intercultural Conflict
Intercultural miscommunication often
underscore intercultural conflict.
Individuals coming from two
contrastive cultural communities
bring with them:
different assumptions,
different expectations,
different verbal and nonverbal habits,
10 Surprising Ways To
Offend People In Other
Countries
 Steps to manage intercultural
conflict
1. Describe the conflict in a way understood in
both cultures.
2. Analyse the conflict from both cultural
perspectives.
3. Identify the basic of the conflict from both
cultural viewpoints.
4. Solve conflict by adapting and learning the
different viewpoints of both cultures.

* The best way is to adapt to the surrounding/

context where the conflict happens.
Good luck for your finals

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